Walking into the canteen for the evening meal, John's portion of food was noticeably smaller than the mountain he'd consumed the day before. Others noticed too. Murmurs rippled through the dining hall as trainees looked from John's modest plate to their own. They couldn't help but imagine the growing gap between themselves and him. How far behind were they with John? This Chi, this internal bio-energy, seemed to be something vital, a key to an entirely new level of capability, and they needed to grasp it as quickly as he did.
With that thought burning in their minds, John's usual table was quickly filled and surrounded. Questions flowed, a torrent of desperate curiosity.
John, meanwhile, looked at all these willing training dummies and felt a surge of frustration at his own limitations. He was clear on his goal: to push his mental strength by manipulating others Adrenal gland. But the risk of pushing too hard, especially with his more potent fear induction, was too great with an untested subject. He didn't choose a new trainee to help them "meditate." Instead, he still chose Anya. She was a known variable, already primed, and less likely to break under the sudden mental strain. He needed to be systematic, not reckless.
John observed Anya closely throughout the day, even in the crowded canteen. He needed to understand her body's nuanced reaction to him, to see how truly effective the induced fight-or-flight response was. He specifically wanted to know if her brain and body, once triggered, could be overridden by his subsequent actions. Would a perceived threat be overcome if he performed an act of kindness, or simply appeared less menacing, making her believe her initial fear was an overreaction on her part?
It was also crucial for him to discern if this fight-or-flight state had a time limit, or how much an individual could be pushed before their survival instinct flipped from "flight" to "fight." This was a delicate balance, a dangerous line he needed to map out precisely.
John was now acutely aware of the ticking clock. There were only two days left before the focused Chi training with Sensei would conclude. He needed to absorb as much as he possibly could from the old man. While the League might offer more Chi instruction in the future, it was unlikely that a master of Sensei's caliber would bother teaching them again. This was a finite, invaluable opportunity.
Anya, of course, was oblivious to John's cold calculations. She was simply happy to be chosen once again by him. In her mind, this meant she was closer to mastering the current training, closer to securing her survival within the League. At the same time, a nascent, almost hopeful thought flickered within her: perhaps John liked her? Perhaps he understood the silent struggles and secret fears that she too carried.
A faint, hopeful smile tugged at the edge of Anya's lips at the thought.
Meanwhile, somewhere deeper within the League's sprawling compound, in a serene, meticulously ordered chamber, Sensei sat cross-legged before a delicate Chinese tea set. His movements were precise, unhurried, as he performed the ancient ritual of making tea from scratch, the fragrant steam beginning to curl from the pot.
Not far away, in a sprawling, open-air training ground within the compound, a figure moved. He was topless, his physique honed to absolute perfection, as a sword became a mere blur in his hand. His figure moved erratically, almost supernaturally fast, across the compound, each strike and parry a testament to decades of relentless mastery. If John were here, he would instantly recognize the figure as Ra's al Ghul, the formidable leader of the League of Assassins.
Ra's continued his training for what seemed like an hour, the rhythmic whisper of the blade the only sound. By the time he finally stopped, sheathing his sword with a soft click, Sensei's tea was perfectly brewed. Ra's grabbed a towel to wipe away the sheen of sweat that coated his powerful frame. He then walked over and settled gracefully before Sensei, taking one of the poured cups. The subtle steam rose, carrying the scent of herbs and ancient earth. Ra's took a slow, contemplative sip, the silence between the two profound.
"What is it, Father? You aren't the type to pay me a visit and make a tea cup for me," Ra's al Ghul said to Sensei, his voice deep but carrying a hint of inquiry.
Sensei picked up his cup, taking a small sip. "How updated are you with the batch of new League trainees?"
Ra's halted slightly, a flicker of disinterest in his eyes. "Not much. I expect nothing exceptional from them, as long as they're trained enough to carry out the League's purpose."
Sensei said nothing, taking another slow sip of his tea. "They've gotten to the stage where Chi is made known to them," he eventually responded. "It was supposed to be as usual: the League teaching them Chi, and them losing hope on how hard it can be."
"Then, following protocol, we would once again allow them usage of the green paste to boost the League's status and benevolence to the children, making them more dependent on us," Ra's stated, finishing his sip of tea.
Sensei's eyes met his, ancient wisdom reflected in their depths. "What point are you trying to make?" Ra's asked, a hint of impatience in his tone.
"This is a trainee who broke this routine," Sensei replied, his voice calm. "And he has shown an exceptional, unprecedented talent in Chi. I believe he is a metahuman, Ra's. As we both know, Chi is not something so easily attained, let alone mastered with such speed."
Ra's al Ghul set his teacup down with a soft click, his gaze sharpening. "A metahuman?" He rarely entertained such notions, finding most claims to be delusions or exaggerated feats. "Explain. What makes this one different from the others who show potential?"
Sensei took another sip of his tea, his eyes never leaving Ra's. "His records, as you said, were unremarkable. Above average, perhaps, but certainly not the makings of a prodigy. Yet, in his first true exposure to Chi, he not only made contact, but began to direct it within a single session. And not merely to sense its presence, but to move it through his internal pathways with an efficiency that belies his experience."
"That requires immense mental fortitude, a level of control that takes decades to cultivate. He achieved a rudimentary form of it in hours. His body's own energy system, his nervous and endocrine responses, are... unusually malleable to his will. He exhibits a level of self-regulation that approaches the extraordinary."
Ra's leaned back, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "So, you believe his biological processes are inherently different? That he can command his own internal chemistry in a way others cannot, and that this unique ability somehow translates to the accelerated manipulation of Chi?"
"Precisely," Sensei confirmed, placing his cup down. "He feels the Chi effortlessly, almost as if his internal perception is wired to it. And the mental strain he experiences from directing it is intense, but he recovers from it at a rather fast rate. It suggests a capacity for rapid mental and possibly even physical regeneration linked to this ability."
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